From food ‘farmacies’ to longevity resorts, the trends transforming the health industry
For the last decade, VML has been revealing the trends that will change the world in its annual report, The Future 100. To set the scene for The Drum’s Health & Pharma focus, Emma Chiu and Marie Stafford highlight some of the biggest disruptions in the space from this year’s edition and the archive.
/ Photo by Emma Simpson on Unsplash
Health is wealth and more people are on board than ever. Advances in science and tech have made healthcare more consumer-facing, especially as health and wellness holistically integrates into every facet of our lives.
Wellness is a huge market, worth $5.6tn in revenue in 2022, according to Global Wellness Institute, making it a rich space for brands to profit from, but it is also desired by people. In a 2023 global survey by VML, which asked respondents what the role of a brand should be today, respondents selected first and foremost “make the world a better place” (40%), closely followed by “improve people’s health and wellbeing” (38%). Lifestyle industries, including technology, retail and hospitality, increasingly have people’s health at the heart of their offerings.
Today, access to comprehensive health diagnostics, from DNA to hormones, can be conducted from the comfort of our homes: a DNA at-home kit can cost as little as £35. Medical-grade facilities are no longer exclusively found in hospitals; they are making their way into gyms and spas. And for $2,500, individuals can get a full-body scan by Prenuvo, a US company that considers its scanner a “life-saving machine” (Future-proof Beings, 2024.)
Over the past decade, health and wellness shifted from emphasis on the physical condition to our mental state. In VML’s 2017 The Well Economy report survey, 77% of global respondents associated “health” with overall physical condition, followed by 75% who said they think about mental health. In the 2023 VML survey for this report, the order reversed, with mental health topping the charts.
People are seeking ways to optimize their best selves from the outside in and expect brands to help them be their Superself (2023). It is also clear that wellness does not have to be an isolating experience, as more events focus on workouts for the masses, embracing community and healthy lifestyles (Fitness festivals, 2017.) Meanwhile, music festivals have been incorporating a host of wellness activities including breath work, cosmic humming and enlightenment exercises (Healing festivals, 2020).
In fact, health is bigger than just us. Some 84% of global respondents agree that human health depends on the planet’s health, with 80% believing that there are no healthy people without a healthy planet, according to VML data.
Mental wellness era
Mental wellness is increasingly a priority, especially for younger generations. Health means mental health first (43%), then physical condition (36%), a divergence that is even more pronounced for Generation Z than in general (47% compared with 30%). As our 2024 trend Well ambition signals, people are ever more conscious of safeguarding their mental health, even if it means sacrificing career goals.
This transition has unfolded over the past decade, nudged by franker conversations on mental health. VML has tracked a wave of ‘untabooing’ in the wellness space relating to sexual, intimate or personal conditions, and mental wellness unquestionably benefited from more open dialog, as noted in 2017’s New mental health. Advice and treatments are more accessible too, with therapists popping up in pharmacies (Mental health pharmacies, 2022) and even on social media (TikTok therapy, 2022).
New advice, practices and behaviors have emerged and evolved, reflecting era-defining issues, including burnout, technology addiction and even eco-anxiety. Work wellness (2016) tracked the rise of corporate wellness programs, while Trippy wellbeing (2018) noted the growing popularity of nootropics and ayuahuasca retreats for stressed-out Silicon Valley execs. Revolutionary rest reported on the need for inclusive therapies that address the specific lived experience of marginalized populations, while Next gen mental wellbeing (2022) noted spiraling mental health diagnoses among younger cohorts.
Working on mental health is now an everyday pursuit for many, with a growing industry to support those who want to optimize emotional wellness and keep issues at bay. As far back as 2016, we charted the rise of physical fitness for mental health benefits (Fitness: it ain’t about the ass) and since then there’s been an explosion in tools and activities that help shore up happiness reserves. From sleep-conducive environments (Circadian rhythms, 2019) to soothing and enriching content (Calmtainment, and Digital nutrition, 2021) to exercise routines designed to uplift (Joy workouts, 2023) there’s a plethora of ways to tend to our personal happiness. Even cultural activities now play a role in better mental health (Cultural prescriptions, 2023).
As society confronts a global loneliness crisis, one of the latest markers for well-being is a sense of belonging (Prosocial effervescence, 2024). Facilitating meaningful connections is now a key opportunity for brands, especially since 81% of people believe they should be making an effort to improve people’s mental health.
Food farmacies
The benefits of food for wellness are almost universally acknowledged: 90% of respondents in our 2023 survey tell us they eat to stay healthy. However, what ‘healthy’ means is ever-evolving.
In the 2010s, health fans ditched low-cal and diet foods and entered their foodie era in earnest, marked by a continual quest for the latest superfood ingredients (Charcoal, Kale and Bone broth, all 2015, Ancient superfoods, 2016) and a fascination with diets that promised optimal health (Ayurvedic eating, 2017). Over time, food has become highly functional: we ate specifically for specific health concerns or simply to enhance looks, mood or performance (Beauty foods, 2016, Nootropics, Mood food, 2017).
Rising concern for the planet in tandem with worries over industrial food production and poor animal husbandry made food a political choice, spurring the evolution of the vegan movement whose adherents called for upscale dining (Haute vegan, 2015) and unprocessed vegan foods (New vegan, 2017). As plant-based eating took off, even meat-eaters experimented with dialing down their consumption (New omnivores, 2016).
Continuing the abstinence theme – take note Generation Z – Teetotal millennials (2015) were first to seriously dabble in sobriety. Healthonism (2015) charted their efforts to drink more mindfully by offsetting alcohol with clean mixers and antioxidants or even mashing up drinking sessions with exercise. The trend evolved to encompass lower-proof drinks (Spiked seltzers, 2017) a new wave of Sober bars (2020), and ultimately a commitment to Zero-proof lifestyles (2023)
Nascent awareness of the human microbiome and the importance of gut health informed pioneers producing fermented food and drink products (Ferment fervor, 2015, Microbe-based cocktails, 2016). VML Intelligence even reported on the fascinating and eye-opening practice of Stool banking treatments for those with severely depleted gut health in 2015.
Nutritional know-how became ever more personalized, thanks to a proliferation of smart devices, apps and AI-powered trackers that enabled understanding of everything from the calories on our plate (Nutritional snapping, 2019), to how we metabolize food (Metabolic brands, 2022), while DNA and blood diagnostics informed subscription services offering meals prescribed to individual health needs (Prescription nutrition, 2018, DNA dinners, 2019). This data-enabled era now promises an unprecedented understanding of nutrition at the collective and individual level.
Today, healthy eating is increasingly preventive, targeted at tackling or preventing conditions like diabetes, heart disease or for holistic wellness. But as the global cost of living crisis persists, healthy food is proving harder to access for some. In a sign of the times, doctors in some nations are now prescribing fresh produce as ‘medicine’ to those on limited means (Food farmacies, 2024).
Prolonging healthspans
The age-old quest for longevity ensues. In 1901, the average life expectancy at birth was 47 years old. Fast-forward to 2019 and the average life expectancy is 73.3 years, according to the World Health Organization. Today, the idea of living to 100 is not only achievable but appealing: seventy-four percent of people globally like the idea of living to be a healthy centenarian, according to VML’s data.
There are a growing number of health experts and businesses, dedicated to promoting healthspans (Centenarian futures, 2024.) Longevity expert, Peter Attia, endorses proactive illness prevention and maintenance for late-life quality, what he calls Medicine 3.0. Entrepreneur Bryan Johnson surrenders his life to data, in pursuit of living forever. Big tech has also been exploring ways to extend lifespans (Aging: Silicon Valley’s next frontier, 2015.) Breakthroughs in technology have also played a significant role in health with the commercialization of CRISPR (Gene editing, 2017) allowing the ease of modifying DNA.
In 2015, Time Magazine released a health edition, featuring a baby on its cover and the headline, “this baby could live to be 142 years old.” The science of living longer has evolved over the past decade from hacking methods that promise maximum health benefits with minimal effort (Superhuman nutrition, 2016) to seeking gradual improvements (Bioharmonized spas, 2024) in long-term therapeutic treatments. Wellness resorts such as Six Senses and Clinique La Prairie are also designing programs to optimize longevity, (Longevity resorts, 2024) whilst in 2020, Health concierges provided travelers with personalized programs incorporating nutrition, fitness and holistic spa treatments.
Technology and research in prolonging healthspans are now paving the way to make healthy centenarians the new ambition. But prevention remains key. Eric Verdin, chief executive of the Buck Institute for Research on Aging, predicts that most people could live to 95 in good health and says, “lifestyle is responsible for about 93% of your longevity – only about 7% is genetics.”
Healthcare futures
Healthcare is shifting from the doctor’s office, the clinic and the hospital and into the home as smart technology, data and AI increasingly enable people to manage their own health.
The transition to self-care has been underway for some time. Quantified health data via smart devices and watches was already well established by the time that home testing and diagnostic kits (Quantified blood, 2017) emerged in the mid-2010s offering early identification of health issues and data dashboards that helped users gain an overview of their health status. Over time, these test kits evolved to encompass a wider suite of health concerns, including fertility, hormone health and sexual wellness (Health homekits upgraded, 2019). Meanwhile, startups began ferrying drugstore staples, then prescriptions to the home too (Subscription health, 2018).
Telemedecine, or remote appointments with doctors, have existed for decades, but virtual consultations became increasingly common during the 2010s, which also saw the first AI doctors set up practice. The pandemic, of course, effectively normalized remote healthcare for all.
Today, we are entering an era of hyper-personalized health in which people will be armed with an array of wearables, devices and sensors that keep track of their vitals. When patients do seek out medical help, they will come armed with personalized data and insights surfaced by generative AI (Healthcare Reimagined, 2024). As lifespans extend and healthcare systems creak, this transition to self-managed care will be crucial to keep health sustainable.
The home will be alive with ambient health-tracking technology gathering physiological data and offering remote diagnostics, from smart toilet seats to mood-detecting AI mirrors, to selfies that can monitor blood pressure. In the latest iteration of wellness tourism, those who can afford it will invest in comprehensive preventive screening and therapies at five-star wellness resorts (Hospital-ity, 2023).
AI will enable remote patient surveillance, enabling doctors to offer pre-emptive care, staving off illness before it can take hold. Doctors will also benefit from AI as a thought partner (Top three tech trends: AI, 2018), helping them generate notes and case histories, suggesting diagnoses and care plans while taking on routine admin like prescription refills.
The path to ‘consumerized’ healthcare is set and VML data shows that people are open to the idea of helpful technology: 54% say they are interested in their own AI health advisor, while 61% would be interested in digitally delivered proactive health nudges.
In the long term, the category looks set for even more seismic change. Take Synthetic biology (2024), which has already produced the world’s first model of a human embryo using only stem cells. Might we one day program human biology like software? Already 26% of VML’s panel say they would be open to the idea of gene editing. Meanwhile, 30% would be open to receiving lab-grown organ transplants and almost a quarter say the same for robot-led surgery.
Today, every brand needs to be a healthcare brand. Whether it is offering healthier lifestyles, access to personalized health data or better work conditions for employees, the all-encompassing world of health includes everything. Innovation in biotech is further opening doors to better opportunities for prevention and, therefore, longer, healthier lives.
The Future 100 is VML Intelligence’s annual futures report charting 100 key trends to watch in the year ahead. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the report, offering a comprehensive retrospective of each sector and its evolution over the past decade. The Future 100 is led by Emma Chiu and Marie Stafford, global directors of VML Intelligence.